Effect of meloxicam on postoperative pain relief after inguinal hernia repair with local anaesthesia

Aim: To investigate the effect of the administration of a single dose of meloxicam pre-emptively on postoperative pain management in patients who underwent inguinal hernia repair under local anaesthesia. Subjects and Method: Fifty patients who underwent inguinal hernia repair under local anaesthesia during the period November 2005 to May 2006 were recruited into the study prospectively. The patients were randomized to two groups regarding administration and non-administration of pre-emptivemeloxicam. The postoperative visual analogue pain scale (VAS) values at 4, 8, 12 and 24 hours and analgesic needs of the patients were recorded. Results: No difference was found between the groups in terms of age, gender, hernia localization and type. The VAS values of the patients regarding their pain severity were evaluated at 4, 8, 12 and 24 hours and were significantly lower in the group which received meloxicam pre-emptively (p = 0.001, 0.0001, 0.003 and 0.0001 respectively). The need for non-steroidal anti- inflammatory drug was also found to be significantly lower (p = 0.0001). Conclusion: Postoperative pain severity and hence analgesic requirement were significantly decreased in the patients who received meloxicam pre-emptively. Single dose pre-emptive meloxicam seems to be an effective analgesic therapy for patients undergoing inguinal hernia repair under local anaesthesia.It thereby improves patients comfort and should be considered for use in outpatient surgery.

Objetivo: Investigar el efecto de la administración de una dosis de meloxicam de forma preventiva enel tratamiento del dolor postoperatorio en pacientes sometidos a una reparación quirúrgica de hernia inguinal bajo anestesia local. Sujetos y Métodos: Cincuenta pacientes que tuvieron una reparación de hernia inguinal bajo anestesia local durante el período de noviembre de 2005 a mayo de 2006, fueron reclutados para el estudio demodo prospectivo. Los pacientes fueron divididos aleatoriamente en dos grupos, partiendo del criterio de la administración o no administración de meloxicam de modo preventivo. Se registraron los valores de la escala visual-analógica (EVA) para el dolor postoperatoria a las 4, 8, 12 y 14 horas, así como las necesidades analgésicas de los pacientes. Resultados: No se hallaron diferencias entre los grupos en relación con la edad, el género, lalocalización y el tipo de hernia. Los valores de la EVA de los pacientes con respecto a la severidad de su dolor, fueron evaluados a las 4, 8, 12 y 24 horas, y resultaron ser significativamente más bajos en el grupo que recibió meloxicam de forma preventiva (p = 0.001, 0.0001, 0.003 y 0.0001 respectivamente). También se halló que la necesidad de un medicamento anti-inflamatorio no ester-oidal era significativamente más baja (p = 0.0001). Conclusión: La severidad del dolor postoperatorio y por lo tanto la necesidad de analgésicos, experimentaron una disminución significativa en los pacientes que recibieron meloxicam de forma preventiva. La dosis sencilla de meloxicam de forma preventiva parece ser una terapia analgésica efectiva para pacientes que han sido sometidos a reparación quirúrgica inguinal con anestesia local. Su aplicación mejora el alivio de los pacientes, y debe tenerse en cuenta su uso para la cirugía ambulatoria.

Effect of meloxicam on postoperative pain relief after inguinal hernia repair with local anaesthesia.

AIM: To investigate the effect of the administration of a single dose of meloxicam pre-emptively on postoperative pain management in patients who underwent inguinal hernia repair under local anaesthesia. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: Fifty patients who underwent inguinal hernia repair under local anaesthesia during the period November 2005 to May 2006 were recruited into the study prospectively. The patients were randomized to two groups regarding administration and non-administration of pre-emptive meloxicam. The postoperative visual analogue pain scale (VAS) values at 4, 8, 12 and 24 hours and analgesic needs of the patients were recorded RESULTS: No difference was found between the groups in terms of age, gender, hernia localization and type. The VAS values of the patients regarding their pain severity were evaluated at 4, 8, 12 and 24 hours and were significantly lower in the group which received meloxicam pre-emptively (p = 0.001, 0.0001, 0.003 and 0.0001 respectively). The need for non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug was also found to be significantly lower (p = 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Postoperative pain severity and hence analgesic requirement were significantly decreased in the patients who received meloxicam pre-emptively. Single dose pre-emptive meloxicam seems to be an effective analgesic therapy for patients undergoing inguinal hernia repair under local anaesthesia. It thereby improves patients comfort and should be considered for use in outpatient surgery.